10 Books Like The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” is a haunting masterpiece that takes us on a desolate journey through a post-apocalyptic America. The story of a father and son clinging to hope in a world ravaged by violence and despair is something that makes us cry and fill our hearts with hope simultaneously.
But what if you’ve finished the book and are craving similar tales of survival and resilience in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds?
We have an answer with some thrilling novels similar to that of “The Road.”
Let’s check them out now.
Books Like The Road
1. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
“Station Eleven” is a post-apocalyptic novel that weaves together the stories of a group of survivors after a devastating flu pandemic wipes out much of the world’s population.
The narrative spans several timelines, focusing on the lives of characters before, during, and after the pandemic, highlighting the enduring nature of art and human relationships in the face of catastrophe.
Central to the story is a traveling symphony and theater troupe that performs Shakespearean plays and classical music for the scattered settlements of survivors, underscoring the novel’s theme of the importance of culture and connection.
Major Similarities:
Like “The Road,” “Station Eleven” explores themes of survival, the importance of relationships, and the role of art in sustaining humanity through the lens of a post-apocalyptic world.
Both novels feature a journey through a drastically changed landscape and examine how people find meaning and maintain their humanity in the face of desolation and loss.
2. The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
“The Dog Stars” tells the story of Hig, one of the few survivors of a flu pandemic that has decimated the population.
Living in an abandoned airport with his dog Jasper and a misanthropic gun-toting survivalist as his neighbor, Hig spends his days flying the perimeter of their safety zone in a small plane, searching for something more.
When a random transmission beams through the radio of his airplane, it compels him to risk everything on a journey past his safe zone in search of other human connections.
Major Similarities:
Both “The Dog Stars” and “The Road” focus on the aftermath of global catastrophes and the deep, personal journeys of their protagonists in a world stripped of its former social and moral structures.
The themes of isolation, loss, and the search for hope and meaning amidst despair are central to both narratives, as is the exploration of the natural world’s beauty and brutality.
3. The Passage by Justin Cronin
“The Passage” is an epic and gripping tale of a post-apocalyptic future shaped by a government experiment gone horribly wrong, resulting in the creation of vampire-like creatures that decimate humanity.
The story spans over a century and follows multiple characters, including a young girl named Amy who holds the key to humanity’s survival.
Cronin weaves together individual lives and stories into a complex narrative that explores the resilience of the human spirit, the power of hope, and the bonds that unite us.
Major Similarities:
“The Road” and “The Passage” share a post-apocalyptic setting where survivors face not just the collapse of society but also monstrous threats.
Both novels delve into the journey of protecting someone precious—in “The Road,” it’s the father’s commitment to his son, while in “The Passage,” it’s a collective effort to protect Amy. Themes of hope, survival, and the fight to preserve humanity against overwhelming odds are prevalent in both stories.
4. On the Beach by Nevil Shute
“On the Beach” is set in the aftermath of a nuclear war, with the northern hemisphere already devastated and the radioactive cloud slowly drifting southward to Australia, where the last remnants of humanity wait for the inevitable end.
The novel focuses on a group of characters in Melbourne as they come to terms with their impending doom, exploring their daily lives, hopes, and reflections on what it means to live knowing that death is assured.
Shute’s narrative is poignant, focusing on the human aspects of facing the end of the world, rather than the details of the apocalypse itself.
Major Similarities:
Both “On the Beach” and “The Road” examine the psychological and emotional landscapes of their characters in the face of the apocalypse.
They share a contemplative tone, focusing on themes of existential dread, the inevitability of death, and the ways in which people seek connection and meaning in their final days. The stark, desolate settings serve as a backdrop for deep explorations of human resilience and despair.
5. The Stand by Stephen King
“The Stand” is an apocalyptic vision brought to life through the tale of a global pandemic caused by a man-made superflu, colloquially known as “Captain Trips,” which kills off most of the world’s population.
The survivors find themselves drawn into a fundamental battle between good and evil, personified by the benevolent 108-year-old Mother Abagail and the malevolent Randall Flagg.
The novel explores themes of morality, free will, and the rebuilding of society from the ashes of its own self-destruction, all set against the backdrop of a starkly divided America.
Major Similarities:
Similar to “The Road,” “The Stand” delves into the aftermath of an apocalyptic event that eradicates most of humanity, exploring the struggle for survival in a world where societal norms have disintegrated.
Both novels feature a journey motif, where the characters are not only traveling through a physical landscape but also a metaphorical one, facing moral dilemmas and the essence of what it means to be human.
Themes of hope, despair, and the fight between good and evil are central to both stories, as is the focus on the bonds formed between characters in the face of adversity.
6. Earth Abides by George R. Stewart
“Earth Abides” is a seminal post-apocalyptic novel that explores the life of Isherwood Williams, who survives a devastating global pandemic that wipes out the majority of the human population.
As Ish wanders through the United States, he witnesses the gradual decline of civilization and the reclamation of nature over human constructs.
The novel delves into the challenges of rebuilding society, the evolution of culture and customs in post-apocalyptic communities, and the philosophical reflections on humanity’s impact on the earth and vice versa.
Major Similarities:
Like “The Road,” “Earth Abides” focuses on survival in a post-apocalyptic world, but with a broader scope on the rebuilding of society and the passage of time.
Both novels are deeply introspective, pondering the nature of civilization, human resilience, and the legacy of humanity in the face of catastrophic events. The themes of isolation, the significance of family, and the cyclical nature of history and nature echo between the two stories.
7. A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.
“A Canticle for Leibowitz” spans thousands of years, chronicling the efforts of a monastic order as it seeks to preserve the remnants of scientific knowledge through the dark ages of a post-nuclear world.
The narrative is divided into three parts, each focusing on a different period in the history of the monastery of Saint Leibowitz, as humanity slowly rebuilds itself.
The novel is a meditation on the cyclical nature of history, the relationship between science and religion, and the quest for knowledge and moral understanding in the shadow of recurring self-destruction.
Major Similarities:
Both “A Canticle for Leibowitz” and “The Road” are concerned with the aftermath of apocalypse and the preservation of knowledge and humanity.
While “The Road” is a more intimate portrayal of a father and son’s survival, “A Canticle for Leibowitz” takes a broader view of societal rebuilding.
Nonetheless, both novels address themes of hope, despair, and the enduring human spirit in the face of overwhelming darkness and the threat of extinction.
8. The Road to Nowhere Trilogy by Meg Elison
Starting with “The Book of the Unnamed Midwife,” The Road to Nowhere trilogy is a gripping series set in a world decimated by a plague that kills most of the world’s population and makes childbirth deadly.
The story focuses on a female protagonist navigating this dangerous new world, where women are scarce and their autonomy is severely compromised.
Through her journey, the series explores themes of gender, survival, and the human capacity for both brutality and compassion in the face of societal collapse.
Major Similarities:
Like “The Road,” this trilogy presents a stark, post-apocalyptic landscape where the remnants of humanity struggle to survive under dire circumstances.
Both narratives explore the depths of human depravity and kindness, the importance of protecting the vulnerable, and the challenges of maintaining hope and moral integrity in a world that has fundamentally changed.
The focus on a journey through a devastated landscape, along with the intimate portrayal of survival and the psychological depth of the characters, links the trilogy closely with McCarthy’s novel.
9. The Drowned World by J.G. Ballard
“The Drowned World” is a pioneering work of climate fiction, set in a future where rising temperatures and melting ice caps have submerged much of the Earth’s land under water, leading to a primordial, tropical world.
The story follows biologist Robert Kerans and a small group of survivors as they navigate the challenges of this new environment, contending with the psychological impacts of the changing world as well as external threats.
Ballard’s narrative is rich in imagery, exploring themes of time, memory, and human adaptation to environmental catastrophe.
Major Similarities:
Both “The Drowned World” and “The Road” offer post-apocalyptic visions where the Earth has been transformed into a hostile environment, challenging the protagonists to find their place within it.
While “The Road” deals with a barren, ash-covered landscape, “The Drowned World” presents a lush, flooded earth returning to a prehistoric state.
Despite these differing settings, both novels explore the psychological effects of apocalyptic events on individuals, the struggle for survival, and the profound changes in humanity’s relationship with nature.
10. Blindness by José Saramago
“Blindness” is a compelling allegorical novel that follows the outbreak of an inexplicable mass epidemic of blindness, which sweeps through an unnamed city.
The government’s attempt to quarantine the blind in an abandoned asylum leads to a breakdown of society within the facility, exploring the depths to which humanity can sink when stripped of its civilizational veneers.
Saramago’s narrative is a powerful exploration of the fragility of human society, the instinct for survival, and the enduring need for compassion and solidarity in the face of widespread disaster.
Major Similarities:
Like “The Road,” “Blindness” delves into the collapse of society following a catastrophic event and examines the human condition in extreme circumstances.
Both novels are marked by their stark, unflinching look at the potential for both cruelty and kindness in the human heart.
The emphasis on survival, the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by the characters, and the exploration of the bonds that sustain people through unimaginable adversity are central themes that resonate with McCarthy’s work.
